Step plate for the running boards of vehicles



June 24, 1930. J. E. WAGGONER v STEP PLATE FOR THE RUNNING BOARDS OF VEHICLES Filed may 19, -l928 a Z l0 fn'uentoi .QQA 2 E3 B v Atkomgy Patented J une 24, 1930 JESSE WAGGONEB, F HICKORY, ,NOR'I EH CARQLINA Application filed May 1e, isfi, eria1fii avatar; 1

' The present invention relates to step plates; for the running board of an automobile or' other vehicle and has for its principal object to provide a rotatable mounting for the 5 step plate whereby to permit the foot of person to turn the step plate as the weight of the person is placed thereon and thus prevent the twisting of the foot upon the running board, as is customary in the pres ent practice while the body of the person is being'turned while entering the vehicle.

A further object of the, invention is to eliminate wear upon the upper surface of the running board by thefoot of the person while entering or leaving the'vehicle.

A still further objectis to provide adevice of this character of a simple and prac' tical construction, whichis'efficient and reliable in performancefneat and attractive in appearance, relatively inexpensive to manu facture and which may be quickly installed in position without making any changes in the construction of the vehicle and otherwise well adapted to the purpose for which the 2 same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the special construction, combination "and arrangement of-the various elements forming the inventlon as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals referto like parts throughout, and in which,

In the drawings:

I Figure 1 is a top plan view and Figure 2 1s a transverse vei'tlcal sectional view. taken along a line 2+2 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawing in detail, wherev in for the purpose of illustration, I have 40 disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 5 represents an attaching plate of a substantially rectangular formation and having attaching holes 6 1 formed adjacent the corner thereof whereby to'receive attaching screws 7 or the-like for securing the plate upon the upper surface of running board. f

The center of the plate is provided with a threaded opening within which" a screw 8 is threadedly inserted, the upper end of the thefsame is placed thereon.

screw, rbvidd with the head 9 projecting substantially above the platean'd extended through a central opening :forined in the The bore r the Openin iii the step plate is'sniooth Se as to permit the free rotary movement; thereof upon the serew and the headfoftlie screw '9 is 'c'ountersunkin the e upper surface of the'step pmte'asdean shown inFig'ur'e 2 of the' drawin s 'The upper su face of "the attaching plate tend theunder surface of the" step plate were each provided with @111 annular disposed groove 11 disposed in superimposed" relation withrespect to each other and within which is seatcd a ier-arm of tau b'eaaagsia Bearings of sufficient dimension are provided r011 slightly'placing the plates apart l as clearly illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawings. The upper surfaceof thestep plate 10 is provided with a series of concenttric grooves 13 whereby to prevent the slipping of the foot upon the step plate when It will be apparent from the foregoing that upon fixedly attaching the attaching plate 5 to the upper surface of the running board and mounting the step plate 10 in position thereonthat the same will be free v to rotate upon the placing of the foot therei on and turning the foot in a customary man ner while the person enters or leaves the vehicle. The step plate thus protects the; runningboard from wear and at the same time prevents the twisting of the foot of the person in an unnatural manner while step ping into or out of the machine.

The area of the attaching plate 5 is suflicient to completely underlie the step-plate 10 and at the outer edge on the under side of the step plate is formed a downwardly depending flange 14: adapted to prevent the entrance of dirt under the step plate to interfere with the free rotation of the same" on the ball bearings. r

The attaching plate may also be provided with water drain openings 15 to prevent dilution of the lubricant provided in vthe grooves 11 for the bearings and the attaching plate is also supported slightly above the o r 1 p 6 1:

running board by spacing Washers 16' to enable'the Water to drain freely from the" I t is obvious that my invention is susceptiblerto various changes and modifica- 7 tions in construction without departing from the spiritof the' inventionhor the scope of V the appended c1aim,and.Iaccordingly claim I all such forms ofthe deviceto which I am s entitledr; v r '1' r Having thusldescribed my invention, What I claim as new-'isz' f V g A step plate of the character described I comprising 'a flat p'olygonalplate having 1 I 1 openings in its corner portions for the pass j 1 sage of securing elements, appivot 'pin threadedly anchored in vthe central' portion i of the plateandextending outwardlytherefrom' and having a tapered-slotted'head on b iits'1upper end, a-fiat metallic disc mounted Y forrotation on the 'pin in spaced relation to f the" plate andl' having countersunk I bore @for the'receptionof said pin and the tapered V I head, sai d, 'disc -off less diameter, than the @plate, the opposed faces' of the'disc and the j r'plate beingprovided with cornpleinental an;

' 1 inular concentric grooves, anti fr'iction balls 3 disposed in the groo'ves and'a depending marginal flange on the disc for rotatable 30 engagement with the plate; j Y V lntestimonyrwhereofl aflixmysign'ature.

' -iSE -E meon n V 

